Clarinet.



No. 706,557. Patented Aug. l2, I902.

W. HECK EL.

CLARINET.

(Application filed Aug. 27. 1900.) (No Model.)

' a g ,6 Z3522 i/'zz ans 5 flaw/e L107 $4224 @124, zaz-z/uzm/amzVILIIELM HECKEL, OF

GLARI PATENT OFFICE.

BIEBRICII, GERMANY.

NET.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 706,557, dated August12, 1902.

Application filed August 27, 1900.

T0 in whom it ntcty concern! Be it known that I, WILHELM IIEOKEL, asubject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor,and a resident ofBiebrich-on-the-Rhine, Province of Hesse-Nassau, German Empire, haveinvented certain new and useful ln1- provements in Clarinets, of whichthe following is an exact specification.

My invention consists in improven'lents in clarinets in which two octaveholes are opened or kept open by the pressure upon a single-octave key.In thegenerally-employed instruments belonging to the class of theclariinets-as alt clarinets, bass Clarinets, contrabass clarinetstheoctave-key is also used for the B key, so that from the same hole thetone B is obtained. The arrangement of double openings hitherto knownwas such that a second hole (octave-hole) was only opened when theoctave-key and another key were simultaneously pressed down. It was notknown hitherto to arrange the octaveholes in such a manner that thedivided air column can freely pass through them, as is the case in myinvention.

The purpose of my invention is to obtain absolutely clear duodecims ofthe clarinet, which purpose is fulfilled by the arrangement hereinafterdescribed, by which means the B key presses automatically upon anauxiliary key and opens thus an auxiliary hole.

In the clarinet instruments hitherto employed the duodecims are obtainedby the arrangement of a bigger hole through which the air column ispressed and which is arranged underneath the key a. If this hole is toosmall, then the duodecims are still ob tained; but the high C, as wellas the whole high register, is too deep. If the hole is big enough, thehigh O is obtained; but the duodecims, as well as the tones upward fromthe high D, are much too high.

By means of the present invention it is possible to obtain absolutelyclear duodeoims, since the hole of the auxiliary key compensates for allunevenness of theintonation, because, as already mentioned, the dividedair column is allowed to pass freely in two directions and is not forcedto pass through one hole. V

In order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a front view of a clarinet Serial No.28,242. (No model.)

with my new arrangement. Fig. 2 is a rear View of the clarinet, showinga part of the mechanism diagrammatically. Fig. 3 is a modified form ofconstruction.

a is an octave-key which is also used for the B key. The hole b isarranged sideward upon the clarinet. The arrangement of the levers isalready known and not shown on the drawings. By pressing down the key athe hole I) of the clarinet is opened. The key 0 being arrangedunderneath the key a is therefore also pressed down, and consequentlythe hole (Z is simultaneously opened. The arrangement of the hole (I inconnection with the keys is shown in Fig. 2 out of position for the sakeof better comprehension of this arrangement. It will be easilyunderstood that the hole (Z is arranged upon the clarinet on theopposite side of the hole I).

In Fig. 3 a modification is shown in which the auxiliary key 0 is notarranged underneath the key a, but 011 the side of the same, so that theplayer will be able with one finger simultaneously to press down bothkeys a and c. Evidently this arrangement is more convenient than thearrangements heretofore described.

Having thus fully described the nature of this invention, what I desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A clarinet or like instrument having two octave-holes 19,61, arrangedat the same height,

,t'. a, at the same distance from the mouthpiece, and opposite to eachother, and means forsimultaneously opening and closing said holes.

2. A clarinet or like instrument, provided with two octave-holesarranged at the same height, 2'. 6., at the same distance from themouthpiece, and opposite to each other, in combination with a keyadapted when pressed down to open one of said holes, and a second keyarranged relatively to the first key, whereby when the latter is presseddown, the said second key will be operated to open the other holesimultaneously.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

NILHELM IIECKEL.

